Odisha Government Submits Additional Documentation for Shree Jagannath International Airport

Strategic Insights -

The Odisha government has made a significant step forward in the development of the Shree Jagannath International Airport (SJIA) at Sipasarubali in Puri, by submitting additional documentation to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). This move comes after the project received in-principle approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in May, paving the way for its further execution. The proposed airport, which is expected to handle 3.71 million passengers per annum (MPPA) initially, is planned to be developed in phases, with a projected increase to 14.6 MPPA by 2043-45.

Key Takeaways:

  • The SJIA project has cleared another critical hurdle with the Odisha government submitting additional documentation to the MoEF&CC, including bird and wetland study reports.
  • The proposed airport will initially handle 3.71 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and scale up to 14.6 MPPA by 2043-45, with around 100 flights per day projected in Phase 1.
  • The project area has been identified as tropical dry deciduous forest, with a total of 13,504 trees across 1,291 species scheduled to be felled as part of land preparation.
  • A bird survey conducted between January and April identified 63 species across 39 families, with none of the species being endangered.
  • The Odisha government has earmarked 1,164 acres for the airport's development, which is estimated to cost Rs 5,631 crore over three phases.
  • The project is considered crucial for Odisha's long-term infrastructure and tourism vision, with the potential to transform Puri into an air-linked religious and cultural tourism destination.

Statistics:

  • 3.71 million passengers per annum (MPPA) initially planned for the SJIA (Source: The New Indian Express)
  • 14.6 MPPA by 2043-45, as projected by the Odisha government (Source: The New Indian Express)
  • 100 flights per day projected in Phase 1 of the SJIA project (Source: The New Indian Express)
  • 13,504 trees scheduled to be felled as part of land preparation for the SJIA project (Source: The New Indian Express)
  • 1,291 species of trees to be cut for the SJIA project (Source: The New Indian Express)
  • 1,164 acres earmarked for the SJIA project (Source: The New Indian Express)
  • Estimated cost of the SJIA project: Rs 5,631 crore over three phases (Source: The New Indian Express)

Sources:

  • The New Indian Express
  • Orissa TV